Greasy hair. Everyone has dealt with it and has probably been annoyed by it. I was washing my hair every single day, blow drying, styling… it took precious time that I’d much rather dedicate to something else. A “lazy day” was skipping the daily hair wash, pulling my hair into a bun and pretty much avoiding the public eye. Greasy hair had “plagued” me my whole life until I finally decided enough was enough. But how could I get rid of the grease for good? I’m a minimal hair product person as it is, so I knew the answer was NOT going to be yet another hair product added to my arsenal. So I did a bit of research and found that according to some beauty fans, there was a product-free solution, and it is called hair training. Hair training is the idea of cutting back on shampooing daily to help cut down on oils, as ingredients in shampoo can create buildup and grease. While the idea of weaning myself off frequent shampooing — which is what hair training is all about — was not the easiest thing to wrap my head around, I was determined to reach a point where I my hair looked great for days at a time. I mean, let’s be real, I was spending a solid 45 minutes each morning and wanted that time back in my life. Today, I’m sharing with you how to train your hair to be less greasy so you too can experience the freedom of only having to wash your hair every four to five days. Read on my friends…this is life-changing stuff, I promise.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR HAIR
To get started, “hair training” or “scalp training” is the act of “training” your hair to only need to be washed once (or twice) a week. The idea is that the additives in shampoos tend to dry out your hair and scalp, causing your body to send more oils out to your strands to create a protective barrier. So by cutting back on washing, your hair will be prompted to get back to its natural and healthy self! Since there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this, and how often you wash your hair largely depends on your hair type and the amount of sebum your scalp naturally produces, this will be a steady and gradual process to find your “sweet spot” at how many times you actually need to wash your hair per week.
To get started: For people who are like I used to be and wash their hair five times per week or more, try going down to four times a week, then gradually down to three times, then twice a week, and see how that works for you. If you are already only washing your less than five times a week, simply add more days in-between your washes and see how your scalp and hair responds. Try to avoid using super hot water when you shower which can also trigger oil production, and right before you hop out of the shower, blast your hair with a cold rinse. If after a few weeks, you do not notice a difference in the amount of grease your scalp produces, then try a different shampoo. If after trouble-shooting your shampoo, you still do not notice a difference, then your hair type just may not be trainable.
WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO TO USE
The kind of shampoo you use also matters as many shampoos with harsh detergents can dry out your scalp and lead to the production of more grease. That’s why it’s all about selecting a shampoo that’s going to thoroughly cleanse without being overly drying. Before you start hair training, do make sure you use a good clarifying shampoo to get rid of any unwanted build up. I recommend using Unite Clarifying Weekender Shampoo, it is a gentle yet effective product and a good one to have in your arsenal! Since I’m a blonde, I always integrate a purple shampoo into my routine to keep my locks looking fresh. My favorite shampoo combo is a quarter sized dollop of Unite Blonda Shampoo and a quarter sized dollop of Aveda Color Conserve, mixed together and then lathered into my hair. After rinsing, I condition my hair with Unite Blonda Conditioner. And, when I hop out of the shower, I spritz Unite’s 7 Second Detangler on my towel dried hair, and then brush out my strands with my Wet Brush. I towel dry a little bit more before I let my hair air dry! Read on for more about why I air dry my hair…
If you’re not a blonde, or do not like using purple shampoos, I recommend using a high quality clean beauty shampoo and conditioner like Aveda. I adore Aveda as their products are 100% vegan, and mindful of the environment. My very favorite of their shampoos is their Rosemary Mint!
HEAT STYLING AND HAIR TRAINING
If you’re cutting back on shampooing, you should also consider cutting back on heat styling as often as you can. A huge part of training my hair was swapping from using my hair dryer to letting my hair air dry. I swear by washing my hair at night and letting it dry while I sleep, then styling it in the morning. Once my hair had “trained” itself for only being washed every five or so days and air drying, I would only need to use a hot tool on my hair the day I styled. Then my curls would last throughout the next few days until I washed my hair again. It was a game changer!
But if avoiding hot tools of any kind is not an option for you, consider a good dry shampoo that’s going to help you stretch out your time between washes and boost volume. My very favorite dry shampoo is either Unite U:DRY Shampoo or Living Proof Dry Shampoo. Just remember, do not use a hot tool on your hair AFTER you’ve applied dry shampoo. It might seem counter intuitive, but you should style your hair and then apply the dry shampoo. Using a hot tool on top of dry shampoo is asking for burnt, damaged hair!
Lastly, make sure you’re using quality hot tools, below I share some of my favorites!
– When I use a blow dryer, I have this blow dryer and I LOVE it. Everyone I’ve ever recommended it to raves about how great it is. It reduces drying time tremendously, and it’s supposed to be healthier for your hair.
– I use the 1 1/4″ barrel curling iron and then this curling wand. I find that I gravitate more to the curling wand because I like the “look” it produces a bit better, but I love both equally!
– I have owned this flat iron for almost 10 years now! It is by far my favorite and makes my hair super sleek with only one pass. It’s expensive, but totally worth it considering how long it will hold up with regular use.
I hope this post about how to train your hair to be less greasy was helpful and informative! If you ever have any questions please leave them in the comments below!
XO,
M
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How To Train Your Hair To Be Less Greasy
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